Shimmering Love [Renamed as Captivating Illusions]

19. Bound By Circumstances

No sooner had she taken a few steps, the Toyota that crossed her a few seconds ago started coming backwards.

Her eyes assessed it quizzically; and yet her legs continued to walk despite the alarm going off in her head. As expected, the car came to a halt next to her. The driver’s window rolled down. Out peeped the very face that had irked her ever since she had the misfortune of seeing it.

“Hey,” called out Wasiq, waving out to her jubilantly.

Rida ignored him and walked on. A moment passed. Not liking the way he was blatantly ignored, the guy started his engine but lowered his speed and rode parallel to Rida, trying to get her into a conversation.

“Okay, assalamu alaikum.” He tried again, thinking she would be pressed into replying to the greeting; and again, Rida refrained from answering him.

“Oh hello, madamji. Are you not aware that you are expected to reply to a fellow Muslim?” He tried goading her.

“It isn’t necessary that a woman has to greet every Tom, Dick, and Harry. It is enough if she greets only her relatives,” Rida bit back, unable to control.

“Oh! You mean that a girl only has to greet her mehrams, right? So you think of me as a na mehram? Good to know.”

Upon realising what he had meant, Rida wheeled around and narrowed her eyes at him. “Don’t even think about it. I’d kill you with my bare hands right now if you don’t stop irritating me. There wouldn’t be any evidences or eye witnesses either.” Rida gestured towards the empty roads.

“Maybe you are forgetting, my lady, my family is full of lawyers. They would get to you anyhow. Within a day if I dare to say.”

“Urgh!” Rida groaned in frustration. “Shut up and get lost!”

“Nope. Nada.”

“Please.”

“I didn’t stop here to get lost. Flat tyre?” he questioned as he glanced at her Scooty.

“No, broken liquor bottle.”

“Haha, very funny.”

“I know. Now, get lost.”

“You wound my pride. What sort of gentleman would that make me if I leave a lady in distress at a deserted road like this?” He clicked his tongue to add in a dramatic effect. “I want to give you a lift. Isn’t it why you waved out earlier?”

“That was before I got to know it was you.”

“So you’d rather get into a car with strangers than me? That hurts, you know.”

Rida chose to ignore him.

“Rida. Get in.” His voice was serious now, devoid of playfulness, but the only thing she did was ignore him.

“Rida, are you getting in or should I force you?” Seconds ticked. “Rida!”

“What’s your problem?” she yelled. “You stopped because I waved out, right? Now I’m saying that I don’t want your help. Why can’t you go away?”

He smiled at her smugly. “Whether you like it or not, we are related, alright?” When Rida arched her eyebrows at that, he ignored her and continued, “Your uncle is my uncle, too, so we are obviously related, and what do you think Uncle will feel when he gets to know that I didn’t help you in such a situation?”

“I’m not going to tell him that. You can get that out of your mind.”

“But my conscience will not let me be in peace!”